If one rubs a few drops of DMSO on any part of his/her person, it is usually absorbed very rapidly an a taste resembling garlic is immediately present. This finding subsequently led to a most important finding of pharmacologic ability of pure DMSO of various strengths to reduce inflammation and pain in a wide range of conditions to penetrate into the skin after topical application of DMSO for the lessening of pain and swelling of inflammation. Many clinicians have reported particularly gratifying results by the use of DMSO in the management of arthritis.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,549,770 teaches the topical application of undiluted dimethyl sulfoxide, and dimethyl sulfoxide with appropriate pharmaceutical diluents, excipients and adjuvants in the treatment of tissue damage, pain, abnormal muscle contraction and vascular insufficiency.
The facility with which DMSO penetrates the skin and other membranes has spawned considerable research into the use of DMSO as a vehicle for the administration of drugs through topical application. In the course of that research a number of different products were added to DMSO with ranging degrees of success.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,606 teaches the use of DMSO as a carrier in concentrations of 50% and over by weight with a steroid in lotion, cream, gel and ointment forms to penetrate rapidly to and saturate the stratum corneum, the highly resistant "horny layer" of the skin which is the major barrier to penetration.
According to this patent "The Steroid continues to penetrate through the skin from `this reservoir` in the stratum corneum to the underlying tissue and into the circulatory system" (Column 3, Line 50-53).
U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,602 also teaches the compositions (creams, suppositories, ointments and gels) for topical application for enhancing tissue penetration of physiologically active agents (for example, physiologically active steroids, antineoplastic agents, antigens, antihistamine agents, neuropharmacologic agents, anti-inflammatory agents, anticoagulants, vasodilators, ultra-violet screening agents and agents with DMSO.
However, these compositions are extremely greasy and are soley for surface penetration, very little penetrating deeply into affected areas where the greatest need arises. See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,551,554; 3,740,420; 3,743,727; 3,790,682; 4,369,190 and 3,499,961 and Canadian Letters Patent Nos. 1,001,075; 1,011,255; 1,043,704; 980,252 and 1,005,761.